The hour fell back and I enjoyed the extra time but I still had to get up. There was preparation to do.
The Cambridge group were to visit (Farooq, John, Neal, Anne, Anne W); and some of family – Pen and Dave and Ali and Fleur. That made 11 of us.
Catering for so many with their individual likes was never going to be perfect and can be awkward, and yes, there was an awkward one, but the main meal went down well. I had made a list of the preparations I needed to do this morning.
Our main menu was: my own lemon / olive flavoured couscous with added bits and pieces; baked cod loin and prawns; tomato and basil salsa; beetroot, pear and feta salad. And , yes, there was someone who didn’t like couscous.
So all this required putting together.
Well… I managed to get the cod just right so it was translucent and flaky. The couscous contained chopped spring onions , sweet corn, olives, and pomegranate jewels. I had lightly toasted it in a little olive oil before adding the water. It all worked perfectly. And tasted great.
We had a tzatziki style dip and vegetable batons to start.
Others brought deserts and cheese. Which were equally delicious.
Pen arrived with Dave about half an hour before our first guests (who, including the non-couscous eater, in turn, pitched up 3/4 of an hour early ). I knew they would probably be 30 minutes early since they hadn’t read my invitation email properly, but they also added an extra 15 minutes to that – arriving at 11.45 instead of ‘from 12.30 onwards.’ There’s always one!
Pen was in full action with a mop and bucket, as they arrived, mopping the floors for some reason, after she had hoovered and reorganised my seating arrangements. All of which was really helpful and very sensible.
She had a better way of seating 11 than I did. Mostly because she and Dave shared one end of the table which meant I would not be Billy No Mates on a TV table of my own.
Next challenge – seat 12!!
By 1.00 most people were present, and we sat down to eat. With Penny helping at the start, I served the main meal and Ali did a massive amount of clearing up and preparing the puds and cheese. And coffee.
I think we all enjoyed ourselves, catching up on news and reminiscing. It’s been over two years. And we were not too squashed.
It became time for people to leave around 16.00 as they had to return to London, Exeter, Bristol, North Oxfordshire, amongst other places.
And some driving conditions over here had been tricky due to rain. Heavy rain. But the afternoon cleared up and the sun appeared.
I made my suggestions about eating in a pub next time or a restaurant where we each pay our own way. It seemed to go down alright until Farooq torpedoed it because he has problems hearing in a noisy venu. Since he is blind, he really needs to be able to hear.
I actually got it about right – there was very little left over thank goodness, and what there was, Ali removed for her and F’s consumption later. It didn’t amount to much – a helping or two of couscous and a bit of beetroot salad. I have been warned that T had 3 helpings of the latter. T? 1 helping of anything can be pushing it.
Poor little H missed out on a walk, but I will sort her tomorrow.
And I need to get the place tidied so as not to shock the occupational therapist, on Monday afternoon.
We need T to be not at his best. He is very crafty at putting his best face forward when visitors are around and can appear quite hale and hearty. A day at daycare, after today should make him suitably tired.
Thought for the Day
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